Shower Tank Cleaning

[BoaterGuy]

This is my first time with a fresh water tank on board. I winterized it by running RV antifreeze through the system.

Does anyone have any recommendations to clean it out, so that the water is clean when in the tank?

I was thinking about putting some dish soap detergent in it and flushing it out....

 

[Trm1765]

I would be hesitant on the soap, I would worry about creating a lot of soap suds. and having a hard time getting it all out again. I would just run a small amount of regular bleach through it. I do this on my camper water system also and it works good. A small amount goes a long way and it takes care of any bacteria in the tank. Just pour some in, make sure it is flushed around with some water and flush the tank back out. This will also clean out the hose as you spray it back out. Be carful not to spill the non diluted bleach on the seats or carpet...

 

[BoaterGuy]

I would be hesitant on the soap, I would worry about creating a lot of soap suds. and having a hard time getting it all out again. I would just run a small amount of regular bleach through it. I do this on my camper water system also and it works good. A small amount goes a long way and it takes care of any bacteria in the tank. Just pour some in, make sure it is flushed around with some water and flush the tank back out. This will also clean out the hose as you spray it back out. Be carful not to spill the non diluted bleach on the seats or carpet...

Awesome thanks so much!

 

[RumDiet]

When you are ready to commission the tank for spring run as much of the anti-freeze out as possible - then add a small amount of water - pump that out - repeat as many times as needed so that the water runs clear - if you feel the need to sanitize the tank add no more than a teaspoon of bleach - add a full tank of water and then pump all of it out. A small amount of vinegar will get rid of the anti-freeze smell. A large amount of vinegar will make you want a salad all day!

 

[Zarrella]

Diluted bleach is how I clean my tank on the boat and the camper

 

[troybox]

I just hook up the hose, turn on the faucet, lock the shower head open outside of the boat and flush for about 10 minutes until the water stops foaming.

Not looking to drink the water. ;-) City water typically has chorine in it as well.

 

[George Nelson]

Cleaning this kind of item is somewhat difficult. But in this thread I learn how to clean in perfect manner.

 

[bottman]

+1 to a small amount of bleach.

I empty it at the end of the season, then come spring I put about 2 tablespoons of bleach in, fill the shower tank until it starts spewing out the overflow. Once its full I turn the hose down until its slowly coming out the overflow and let it run for about 30 minutes. Then purge and fill again.

But I don't treat the shower as potable water. Think its used to rinse feet and cool the back seats off for the ladies more than anything.

 

[JimL]

Stupid question I'm assuming but how do you get bleach in the tank? I fill my tank with a garden hose. How do you dose in 1-2tbs?

 

[Bill D]

@JimL while I was trying to add antifreeze last year I was confused how to get it in the tank too. I ended up cutting the end off an old hose about 4 feet long. I screwed that end on the shower fill fitting and hose clamped a funnel on the other end.

The fill fitting goes to a hose that runs horizontal to the top of the tank. You just need enough head on the hose to push the water through the hose. I used an old milk jug premixed with the water/bleach to dose it out.

 

[rsg1963]

x2 on the diluted bleach suggestions posted, let it sit for a while in the lines, even overnight. Then flush twice. After that, keep the tank full of water.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

The bleach will have no effect on the antifreeze, however, it will sanitize everything and your water won't be stinky. A couple tank fills of clean water run through the tank and pump will flush the antifreeze well enough.

 

[davel501]

Sodium Hypochlorite is the best here. You can buy it by the gallon as pool shock. I use it to sanitize my well/house water system a couple of times per year. The thing to do is hook the hose garden hose to the shower fill and let water run in there while the pump runs with the shower head locked open. Once water starts flowing out the overflow give it another 10 minutes or so to flush the water out of everywhere then shut off the hose and then the shower head a minute or so later. Each gallon is good for 1500 gallons or so and your shower tank is 10 so consider that when adding the shock to your shower tank 4-6oz is probably overkill. Hook the hose back up and run it real quick to just get the water coming out of the overflow. Then run the shower until you smell chlorine. Let it sit like that for at least 8 hours then take the shower head off the hose and turn on the pump to pump out the tank. Make sure the water goes somewhere safe, it will probably kill your grass. Once the tank is dry repeat the flush procedure above.

 

[Ronnie]

They sell an additive at west marine that is supposed to stabilize the water/keep it from going stale. One bottle rims around $10 and can treat a few hundred gallons so I should be covered for the life time of the boat unless the additive itself goes bad. By the way we don't drink the water just use it to rinse off with and clean the utensils with after BBQing.

 

[Wesley Cobb]

As a first time boat owner, I find these threads VERY helpful. The information is great but the lessons learned, ingenuity, as well as personal techniques are priceless. All I have to do is hit the search button, type in my subject and up pops a wealth of information and goodness. I share this forum with every jet boat owner I come across. Thank you all for the contributing and helping out the newbies!